Canada student visa
Here is the detail most first-time applicants miss: your study permit is not the sticker in your passport. Any program longer than six months at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) needs one, and you apply online to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — there is no e-visa and no visa-on-arrival for study. Because India is a visa-required country, approval brings a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) counterfoil in your passport, and that is what lets you board and enter. The study permit itself is handed to you by an officer at the Canadian port of entry.
The Student Direct Stream (SDS) closed on 8 November 2024, so every Indian applicant now goes through the regular study permit stream. Most will need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), which your institution arranges through the province; master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from 1 January 2026. For applications submitted on or after 1 September 2025, one applicant outside Quebec must show CAD 22,895 in living funds for the first year — over and above first-year tuition and travel.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Accepted at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) with a letter of acceptance
- ✓Enrolling in a program longer than six months (shorter courses do not need a study permit)
- ✓Able to prove funds: CAD 22,895 for one applicant outside Quebec for the first year, plus first-year tuition and travel
- ✓Hold a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) where required — most college and undergraduate applicants; master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from 1 January 2026
- ✓Can satisfy IRCC that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay, with no criminal record and medically admissible
Visa options for Canada
Study permit (regular stream)
The core authorization to study full-time at a DLI in a program over six months. Since SDS closed on 8 November 2024, this is the only stream for Indian applicants.
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
Issued automatically with an approved study permit for Indian passport holders. This is the visa counterfoil placed in the passport that allows entry to Canada.
Study permit for Quebec (with CAQ)
Students headed to Quebec must first obtain a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Government of Quebec before applying to IRCC; Quebec sets its own financial requirements.
Short-term studies (no permit)
Programs of six months or less do not require a study permit; a visitor visa (TRV) is sufficient for the stay.
Documents typically required
- ✓Valid passport
- ✓Letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- ✓Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) — unless exempt
- ✓Proof of funds: bank statements, GIC, education loan, paid tuition/housing, or scholarship (CAD 22,895 for one applicant outside Quebec for the first year, plus tuition and travel)
- ✓Passport-size photographs meeting IRCC specifications
- ✓Immigration medical exam by an IRCC panel physician
- ✓Proof of English-language proficiency (e.g. IELTS) as required by the institution
- ✓Letter of explanation / statement of purpose
- ✓Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) given at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre
- ✓Proof of fee payment: study permit CAD 150 and biometrics CAD 85
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
You apply online through an IRCC secure account and pay the CAD 150 study-permit and CAD 85 biometrics fees (family maximum CAD 170). Biometrics are given at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and other major cities — and stay valid for 10 years. Once approved, your passport comes back with a TRV counterfoil and a port-of-entry letter of introduction; the study permit is issued by a border officer when you land.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests solely with Canadian immigration (IRCC), not with us. What we do is give you a frank, honest assessment of your profile and build the strongest possible application. Our applicants have seen a 97% success rate over the last two to three years.
Do I still need a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL)?
Most college and undergraduate applicants do, and it must be issued by the province or territory through your institution. Master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from 1 January 2026. If you are Quebec-bound, you need a CAQ instead.
How much money do I need to show?
For applications submitted on or after 1 September 2025, one applicant outside Quebec must show CAD 22,895 in living funds for the first year, on top of first-year tuition and travel. Quebec sets its own figures, and the amount rises with each accompanying family member.
Is the Student Direct Stream (SDS) still available?
No — SDS closed on 8 November 2024. Every Indian student now applies through the regular study permit stream, which asks for the same documents and biometrics.
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